From Suffolk Downs
East Boston, Mass.
Suffolk Downs has announced that the purse for this year’s Massachusetts Handicap will be $5 million if Big Brown wins the Triple Crown and both he and 2007 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Curlin remain unbeaten in 2008 and go on to start in the MassCap against one another. The $5 million would include a $1 million participation bonus for each.
The 66th MassCap, scheduled for Saturday, September 20, and contested at 1-1/8 miles, currently carries a purse of $500,000 and is one of five races in the Breeders’ Cup Challenge “Win and You’re In” Classic Division. The additional purse money would be funded by Coastal Development, LLC, a company controlled by Richard T. Fields, the largest shareholder of Suffolk Downs.
“Big Brown and Curlin are regarded as the two best thoroughbreds in the world and racing fans would like nothing more than to see them go head to head,” said Fields. “If they are to square off, we feel that a $5 million purse is a great incentive and what better place than at Suffolk Downs in the city of Boston, the sports capital of the world.”
The purse would be $3 million if Big Brown wins the Triple Crown and both he and Curlin start the race but with one or both horses having suffered a defeat in 2008. The $3 million would include a $500,000 participation bonus for each.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
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2 comments:
Great idea. Love it.
Hope Brown gets by Saturday but I'm worried---history's picky.
And that Japanese monster is walking up a storm!!!!
As many of you might know, the Mass Cap has been cancelled at various times, the purse slashed and changed frequently, and Suffolk Downs struggles to keep the entire race alive on a continuous basis. Offering appearance fees for horses, despite this being little more than a publicity stunt, should not be the focus for Suffolk Downs.
Instead, Suffolks Downs has several other and better options :
[1] Invest the five million dollars into your current purse structure.
[2] Start marketing your own "best horses in New England".
Massachusetts racing does not need a one-shot advertising campaign. It needs a long term marketing campaign for the local area. Five million should be earmarked for that.
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